De La Fuente Practices 'Family Law'
Chilean born actor Cristian de la Fuente has added some sizzle to the TV drama Family Law, and fans have been tuning in to check out the heartthrob. Early Show Co-Anchor Jane Clayson reports.
April 4th will mark his one-year anniversary in this country, and he says, "Thank God, everything is doing great."
Although English is his second language, he says, "(It's) perfect working in English after a year."
"It's difficult for a little bit because you have to concentrate on doing your work well and obviously speaking a second language. But I'm having all the support of all the cast, all through the production, so it's been good."
He says before moving to the United States he watched David Letterman to improve his English.
"I lived almost a year in Tijuana....I was doing another show for Spanish TV," he recalls. "So I said to myself,...'OK, I have to practice my English.' How am I supposed to practice it? So I started watching David Letterman every night. And I learned to be a little sarcastic also," he says.
He says that on the set of Family Law, he was told he would be the love interest of Designing Women's Dixie Carter.
"It's amazing. Two years ago...I was in Chile watching Designing Women," he recalls. "And now I'm working with you. So those things make you realize you're working here,"
Noting a younger man with an older woman is not often seen on TV, he says, "That's what's good about this show - we have a different angle about love. Love has no age, no language, no difference, no color. So if two people, that they just need each other and want to be together, that's it."
He was voted one of one of People En Espanol's "25 Most Beautiful."
"It's like people in People are being very nice with me, and I feel very, very glad of being in a magazine as important as People and People En Espanol. And people start watching that picture in the magazine and think you're only a picture, so you have more work to do,".
He says the attention comes with some responsibility.
"You have to demonstrate then you're an actor, that I've been working for nine years this year as an actor," he explains. "So I've studied and I've done a lot of work to be an actor, not to be just a picture. So it's like a little harder also."
He says that ever since he saw Star Wars as a 6-year-old boy, he has wanted to be an actor.
"I haven't met George Lucas, but if he's watching the show, I want to be in Star Wars one day. I hope to end the circle," he says.
In his spare time, he's a pilot.
"I'm an officer of the Chilean Air Force," he says. "When I have time off from Family Law - it's not much - I'm traveling here and L.A.," he says. "When I go to Chile, if they need me, they don't need me that much,...I go there."
He say his acting work is all he hoped it would be.
"When you have a dream, you have to enjoy the ride," he says. "I think that's the best part, the dream is coming true because I'm enjoying the ride. It's like enjoying every day."